Nganj mayoral candidates focus on free, fair polls
Candidates in the upcoming Narayanganj City Corporation mayoral polls focused on a conducive environment for holding the election in a free and fair manner. They came up with the opinion during a talk-show, titled Kemon Mayor Chai, aired by private television channel Independent TV from Narayanganj Club in the city yesterday evening. Three mayoral candidates -- Selina Hayat Ivy of Awami League, Shakhawat Hossain Khan of BNP and Mahbubur Rahman Ismail of Biplobi Workers Party -- attended the programme moderated by Independent TV Executive Editor Khaled Muhiuddin and discussed about the ways to ensure a free and fair election. The candidates also talked about their electoral pledges and responded to different queries. BNP candidate Shakhawat said that he will accept the results if the elections are held in a free, fair and credible manner.
He iterated his demand for deployment of the army for the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) elections for peaceful polling.
Khan and Ismail alleged that Selina Hayat Ivy, Awami Leagues mayoral candidate and also the outgoing mayor, was involved in corruption and had failed to fulfill peoples expectations.
Ivy brushed aside the charges and said the other candidates are trying to gain advantage by raising such issues.
Regarding the graft allegation of Shakhawat, Ivy said an investigation report mentioned that no financial connection could be established implicating her in graft.
Asked about the support of Shamim Osman, she said: When he (Osman) provides wrong information about me to others to confuse voters, then what sort of support is it?
The BNPs mayoral candidate also said that the ruling partys candidate had failed to solve problems of citizens in 13 years of her office, both in the municipality and the city corporation.
Ivy said she could not solve all problems because the city corporation does not work independently, and is dependent on the local government ministry.
Regarding deployment of the army, Ivy did not say anything clearly. But people might remember that in the last NCC polls she had demanded it. If the EC feels, it can deploy the army. If the polling environment goes wrong, the EC can deploy all forces, she said.
She also said that the media is bringing up the issue of army deployment again and again.
The Biplobi Workers Partys mayoral candidate, Advocate Mahbubur Rahman Ismail, said the election is a very sensitive matter. If everything goes well according to the ECs comment, elections can be held peacefully without the army.
